SoCal Challenge

The SoCal Challenge was an eight-team college basketball tournament held during Monday and Wednesday of Thanksgiving week of the NCAA Division I men's basketball season, with the inaugural tournament taking place in 2021. Following games held at campus sites, teams were placed into either the Sand Division or the Surf Division and compete for the tournament title in their division. Semifinal and final games were held at The Pavilion at JSerra in San Juan Capistrano, California.^[1] Each of the games played on campus in the days leading up to the main event involved one team from each division. The event was hosted by the Big West Conference.^[1] The final tournament was held in 2023.

SoCal Challenge

Sport	College Basketball
Founded	2021
Ceased	2023
No. of teams	8 plus one additional team playing in the Showcase
Country	United States
Venue(s)	The Pavilion at JSerra
Last champion(s)	Tarleton State (Sand Division, first title) Bradley (Surf Division, first title)
Broadcaster(s)	CBSSN, FloHoops
Official website	SoCal Challenge

Brackets

2023

The 2023 tournament featured one Southern California team: Cal State Bakersfield from the host Big West Conference as well as California from the Pac-12 Conference.^[2] On-campus games were hosted by the team listed second below. Following the on-campus games, teams were placed into either the Sand Division or the Surf Division without regard to the outcome of those games. Division semifinal winners met in the finals. Following the tournament, the SoCal Showcase matched California and San Diego State.

On-campus games

Game recaps: ^[3][4][5][6]

On-Campus Game November 13 (P12N) Cal State Bakersfield 63 California 83

On-Campus Game November 14 (ESPN+) Tarleton State 63 Bradley 86

On-Campus Game November 17 (ESPN+) Austin Peay 63 UTEP 71

On-Campus Game November 17 (ESPN+) Sacramento State 57 Tulane 92

Sand Division

Game recaps: ^{[7][8][9][10]}

	Semifinals November 20 (FloHoops)				Championship November 22 (FloHoops)
	Cal State Bakersfield	75
	Sacramento State	71
					Cal State Bakersfield	40
					Tarleton State	59
	Austin Peay	59
	Tarleton State	66			Third Place
					Sacramento State	71
					Austin Peay	74

KiAndre Gaddy of Tarleton State was named most valuable player for the Sand Division.^[11]

Surf Division

Game recaps: ^{[12][13][14][15]}

	Semifinals November 20 (CBSSN)				Championship November 22 (CBSSN)
	California	72
	UTEP	75
					UTEP	59
					Bradley	63
	Bradley	80
	Tulane	77			Third Place (CBSSN)
					California	81
					Tulane	84

Malevy Leons of Bradley was named most valuable player for the Surf Division.^[16]

Showcase

Game recap: ^[17]

	Showcase November 25 (MWN)
	California	67
	San Diego State	76*

* – Denotes overtime period

2022

The 2022 tournament featured two Southern California teams: Cal State Northridge from the host Big West Conference and California Baptist, as well as Minnesota from the Big Ten Conference.^[18] On-campus games were hosted by the team listed second below. Following the on-campus games, teams were placed into either the Sand Division or the Surf Division without regard to the outcome of those games. Division semifinal winners met in the finals.

A four-game boys' high school basketball showcase event was held at the tournament site two days before the main tournament began.^[18]

On-campus games

Game recaps: ^{[19][20][21][22]}

On-Campus Game November 15 (ESPN+) Cal State Northridge 55 California Baptist 62

On-Campus Game November 17 (ESPN+) Tennessee State 44 Southern Illinois 57

On-Campus Game November 17 (BTN) Central Michigan 60 Minnesota 68

On-Campus Game November 18 (MWN) High Point 68 UNLV 78

Sand Division

Game recaps: ^{[23][24][25][26]}

	Semifinals November 21 (FloHoops)				Championship November 23 (FloHoops)
	Cal State Northridge	73
	Tennessee State	74
					Tennessee State	72
					High Point	77
	High Point	68
	Central Michigan	67			Third Place (FloHoops)
					Cal State Northridge	66
					Central Michigan	82

Jaden House of High Point was named most valuable player for the Sand Division.^[27][28]

Surf Division

Game recaps: ^{[29][30][31][32]}

	Semifinals November 21 (CBSSN)				Championship November 23 (CBSSN)
	California Baptist	61
	Minnesota	62*
					Minnesota	62
					UNLV	71
	Southern Illinois	49
	UNLV	56			Third Place (CBSSN)
					California Baptist	61
					Southern Illinois	64*

* – Denotes overtime period

Keshon Gilbert of UNLV was named most valuable player for the Surf Division.^[28]

2021

The inaugural tournament featured Cal Poly from the host Big West Conference, three other schools located in California and TCU from the Big 12 Conference. On-campus games were hosted by the team listed second below.^[1] Following the on-campus games, teams were placed into either the Sand Division or the Surf Division without regard to the outcome of those games. Division semifinal winners met in the finals.

A women's beach volleyball event was held two weekends before the men's basketball tournament began.

On-campus games

Game recaps: ^{[33][34][35][36]}

On-Campus Game November 15 Utah Valley 86* Pepperdine 74

On-Campus Game November 15 Idaho 62 Fresno State 69

On-Campus Game November 18 (ESPN+) Nicholls 50 TCU 63

On-Campus Game November 19 Cal Poly 57 Santa Clara 87

* – Denotes overtime period

Sand Division

Game recaps: ^{[37][38][39][40]}

	Semifinals November 22 (FloHoops)				Championship November 24 (FloHoops)
	Cal Poly	72
	Nicholls	75*
					Nicholls	63
					Utah Valley	74
	Utah Valley	83
	Idaho	45			Third Place (FloHoops)
					Cal Poly	67
					Idaho	63

* – Denotes overtime period

Fardaws Aimaq of Utah Valley was named most valuable player for the Sand Division.^[41]

Surf Division

Game recaps: ^{[42][43][44][45]}

	Semifinals November 22 (CBSSN)				Championship November 24 (CBSSN)
	TCU	66
	Santa Clara	85
					Santa Clara	52
					Fresno State	59
	Fresno State	70
	Pepperdine	63			Third Place (CBSSN)
					TCU	73
					Pepperdine	64

Orlando Robinson of Fresno State was named most valuable player for the Surf Division.^[46]